2012 English Channel Swim
7 - 14 September 2012
After having cycled through Africa, completed 5 Ironman Triathlons, run the Comrades Ultra Marathon, Climbed Kili ... I have decided to take on a slightly tougher option ...
... 34km of cold, open water swimming ... leaving the coast of the eternal "wanna-be" soccer nation, over to the "frogs" on the other side ...
What a place ... my feelings from day one till today have changed a lot! Once you find your bearings, meet locals and other tourists/tour members, experience their cuclture and see more of the town - one enjoys it much more!
The town is DIRTY! Very Dirty. But surprisingly today, on a Friday, they a cleaning big time. Not sure if this is due to it being Friday or because it is so much safer due to much less traffic and people around. The Pyramids, Bazaar and other areas though, are also very filthy and this is not due to numbers. Speaking to other travellers though - the city is apparently no worse - actually better - than other huge cities with equal populations ... a good 20 million inhabitants in Cairo alone.
The people are extremely friendly ... apparently in the city they always want a tip and money. In the country (that sounds so English and green/lush/hilly I say ... as opposed to sand, sand and more sand in this country) the people are even more helpful and friendly and do not expect money all the time.
The town is full of incomplete buildings ... endless kilometers of developments - appartment blogs - that have no window frames and completed top stories/roof ... these are still occupied, but top floors are empty or makshift coverings applied and windows routinely varied and improvised. Apparently the developers/inhabitants do not pay a final building tax until the building gets completed ... so they simply never get completed.
P.S. the keyboard I'm using is terrible ... the spell check on this site is iffy and I'm rushing to fit in stuff before my taxi arrives ... so sorry for any irregularities ...
Howdee all - been having difficulties with this sight access .. so lets see how far I get.
Briefly ... I've relaxed a lot! Eventually got my Visa, found my comfort zone and met lots/most of the other participants. The local touts, beggars and irritants obviously recognise those persons that have been around for a while and their drive to sell, swindle and annoy us has dropped drastically ... our responses and attitudes have obviously become more resolute and confident over the last few days. We tend to joke and comment back as much as they do ... and we all have a lot of fun when we obviously don't understand each other.
Today is a very quiet day in Cairo - the streets are comparatively nearly empty and most shops are closed ... PROBLEM - 'cause I need a bank urgently to buy more dollars. I forgot a stack of it at home and need more for border crossing, etc.
At one o'clock we are have our tour briefing and questions - a good two hours - and this evening the Department of Tourism is taking us on a Nile River Boat Dinner Cruise ... probably not too much boozing if we are starting at about seven tomorrow morning ... yeeha/eventually!!!
WOW!! The Pyramids are immpresive! The main ones at Giza are huge and very imposing ... 4600 years old! And the Spinx is so tiny ... I always imagined it much bigger. So many people have said not to waste you time here, especially not to go inside ... not sure what they were thinking, but I think it was well worth it - I went into the first big one (can't remember the name now) and no it was not stinking and too simple.
The camels, horses, donkeys, postcard sellers, etc are a pain in the arse ... not sure if they don;t understand english ... but "No" means "No" nthe first time and the 50th time. I'd maybe change my mind if they gave me some interesting reasons ... but "No" is "No". And I will not tempt fate two days before my epic cycle tour and fall off one of these huge dangerous beasts ... ;-)
The Bazzar at Khan al-Khalili is awesome ... little alleys and coffee shops with all sorts sold to locals and tourists. The haggling is fun and humorous and the bustling and people full of life and atmosphere. There is never a fear of pick-pockets, theft or violence ... you just have to barter hard to get an acceptable price on all goods - from coffee to silver and other crafts.
The Egyptian Museum was good ... but VERY dissapointing in that it is more like a huge (impressive building) store room with all the items laid out and little to no information and details given. The Mummies are incredible - real mummies wrapped and partially exposed with some interesting info on each one ... at an extra cost of EP100 (roughly R120). King Tut's ornaments and burial "goods" are unbelievable ... especially for a ruler who was so young, only ruled for a good nine years and apparently he had relatively little influence on the empire while he ruled.
OOps ... gotta run ... and goota find my way back to the taxi ...
gotta problem with the computers and their ability to utilise my memory stick with pictures at the moment ... will try to find a solution soon!!
I have never ever (honestly) felt so nervous before ... but eventually got the Sudan visa!!
Went there this morning to drop it off ... supposed to open at nine ... welcome to Africa - no one at the counters till quarter-to-ten ... then drop this here, go to that window, do this, do that ... and you just pray you are doing everything correct. Everyone there has some horror story of someone who didn't get their visa for a good month or so.
I was told to come back later ... tried to converse and one person said two hours - the other said two o'clock ... maybe his English is bad and he ment two hours and not two o'clock??
Well we went to a market for some time ... sight seeing and stuck in traffic. I went back at one and the right person was off .. who knows where? Eventually someone came with all the passports ... except mine ... yeehaa-f.....-yeeha!
A while later another pile came and mine cropped out of the woodwork ... with my stamp ... imagine me with one hell of a smile now!!!
Just an interesting point ... in '93 travelling all over - including north Africa - people always exclaimed "Mandela" when I say I'm from South Africa. now everyone exclaims "Bafana Bafana!!' .. and adds that they just recently kicked our butts!
Feeling a lot more settled and comfortable today. Slept well, ate well and found my bearings a little. After running around all day yesterday organising everything for my Sudan Visa - I made an assault on the Sudan Embassy early this morning ... CLOSED FOR THE DAY!
aagghh!!
We simply had a good laugh ... and I'll just have to get another taxi into town tomorrow ... again.
Just met up with Billy and Christy (mates riding by horse back thru Africa) and tagging along with Sean - also doing the Tour.
Well that is all for now ... thanks for the pictures (farewell at the airport) and comments/e-mails from friends.
The trip has started ... and if I was thinking of starting to chill out from day one - FORGET IT!!! Cairo is a bustling, 18 million people madhouse ... no offense - but the traffic is hell and it seems to dominate every sense, every second. Not sure if anyone has, or needs, a drivers license? Every car definitelly has a hooter and they seem to test it routinely every two or three seconds.
It is a city with a very different vibe to any other place I've ever been. I will enjoy it here, but I'm quite sure I'd rather settle in Poffader than in Cairo.
I had a good flight - Egypt Air is very good. And the Cataract Pyramids Hotel is also quite decent - with a very decent breakfast.
Wish me luck as I still ferry between the South African and the Sudanese Embassies to finalise my visa for Sudan ... been to both and hopefully just need to go back to both once more.
Many thanks to Janeen, Mike and family for popping in at the airport in Jo'burg. Nice to see the Micklethwaites as well. And Sarah - good luck with the little monster.
Aagghh … the last minute stress! Easing up slowly as I get closer to departure. Basically I just need to pack my bag for the plane and tidy up last minute irritations. Some good-byes, hopefully a good night’s sleep and off to the airport.
Besides my pre-tour weight (91kg), I’ve entered some body dimensions for an interesting comparison after the four month ride.
Calf (@ Infra-Patella tendon insertion)
Right – 37.5 cm
Left – 37 cm
Thigh (15cm above Patella)
Right – 53 cm
Left – 52.6
Waist (Across ASIS)
95 cm
Belly Button
96 cm
Chest (Across Nipple Line)
107.6 cm
Biceps (RHS across mole)
34.8 cm
Forearm (RHS across mole)
29 cm
Any takers on guessing how these figures will change? E-mail me your guesses and we’ll see how close you are.
Many thanks to the little helper, who helped compile the measurements ;-)
Otherwise cheers all for now … next time I log in here I’ll be 12000km to the north in a cold, bustling city called … CAIRO.
Well, one goal for 2007 has been reached ... I officially clock in at 91kg pre-Tour weight. Lots of muscle [;-)] and some fat. I have been strongly encouraged ... by previous Tour participants ... to go well above my normal/ideal/racing/sexy weight as Excess Storage Fat is vital.Although we get to eat very well, we will be burning off much more than we can really afford over the next four months.
So ... you can all take a guess and comment on what my End-of-Trip weight will be on 12 May 2007. 12 000kms of cycling over four months ... I'm thinking around 78kg ... ?
Well another year gone by ... and a special one to come! I hope the next four months are as peaceful as the last weeks have been stressful! I have no idea how and where to pack everything I wish to take with ... it is absolutely impossible ... aagghh! Living out of a suitcase, packing for the trip and storing everything else is a mission itself. Then shops and embassies are closed and still more than enough work to fit in. I've got two more days of horses to fit in and then serious switching off and relaxing before my departure.
In one week today/now I'll be roaming thru bustling Cairo - haggling for everything and the kitchen sink.
Herewith wishing everyone a very pleasant, happy and fun 2007. Hope all your hangovers are not too bad ... I had a very quiet and enjoyable evening with my Boet and a few friends and felt fit as a fiddle this morning.
Some thanks must still go out to some help and effort for my trip. Firstly many thanks to my Ou-Boet, Andre, and Mel for their help in moving all my stuff. Thanks a mill also to my other Boet, Elmar, for the lekker financial support ... truly appreciate it!
Also many, many thanks to Geco Cycles - your time, effort, advice, help and discounts are greatly appreciated and needed.
Lastly also a big hello, thanks and greetings to my Godchild ... Skye Tayla Micklethwaite. We had a very nice Baptism yesterday - beside really enjoying the morning, it was also a very welcome break from the year end Silly-Season.
